Panther softball sweeps day two of Best on the Bayou action

Saturday, February 21

Monroe, La.

10 a.m.

University of Northern Iowa

3-5

Arkansas - Pine Bluff

2-3

UNI

Arkansas-Pine Bluff

Photo by: Garrett Hoyt

Panther softball sweeps day two of Best on the Bayou action

2/21/2026 4:01:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

UNI softball records 21 combined runs in extra-inning and five-inning run-rule matchups.

MONROE, Louisiana — The UNI softball team continued action at the Best on the Bayou tournament with contests against Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Lamar. Seven innings weren't enough against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, but were too many against Lamar as UNI followed up a 9-5, eight-inning contest with a 12-3, five-inning rout.

GAME ONE | UNI 9, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 5 (8 Innings)

Skylar Benesh got things rolling with a lead-off home run to make a statement on the UNI offense. A Sykora Smith single scored Peyton Johnson to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead after the top half of the first inning.

A pair of two-run singles in the bottom of the first and third innings gave the Lady Lions a 4-2 lead after three frames of action. In the top of the seventh inning, the Panthers needed at least two runs to extend the contest against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. A double from Ella Smithson scored Sykora Smith before Smithson crossed the plate on a Brynn Acton single to force a bottom half of the seventh.

With the game-winning runner on second base, Ashkyn Enke struck out a Lady Lion batter before forcing a flyout to get out of the inning and force extras.

The Panther bats exploded in the top of the eighth with a five-run frame. Benesh connected with another long ball for her second home run of the game to score the Panthers' first run of extras. A double from Katelyn Callahan scored Brynlee Slockett from second base running for Kate Lappe. With the bases loaded, Callahan crossed the plate on a fielder's choice from Ella Smithson before a triple from Brynn Acton cleared the bases and scored Sykora Smith and Ella Smithson. The Cats held a 9-4 advantage heading into the bottom of the eighth inning.

The Lady Lions drove in one run on a single in the frame, but could not overcome the Panther barrage in the top half of the frame. UNI was victorious by a 9-5 final.

Sykora Smith finished with three hits, two runs, and an RBI in four at-bats and a walk. Skylar Benesh drove two balls over the fence, her only two hits of the game, for two runs and two RBIs. Ashlyn Enke finished with nine strikeouts in a 5.2-inning win, her second of the season.

GAME TWO | UNI 12, Lamar 3 (5 Innings)

The Cats got the bats going early with a four-run first inning, which set the tone for the second game of day two in Louisiana. A two-run single from Kate Lappe saw Skylar Benesh and Brynn Acton cross the plate before Lappe came around on a groundout from Sykora Smith. A sacrifice fly from Drew Hinrichs scored Katleyn Callahan, which gave UNI a 4-0 lead after the top half of the first inning.

The Panthers tacked on three more runs in the top of the second on a three-run home run from Brynn Acton before scoring their eighth run in the top of the third on a single from Drew Hinrichs. UNI held an 8-0 advantage after two and a half innings of play.

A home run in the bottom of the third gave Lamar their first run of the day before the Cats answered with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. A single from Sykora Smith plated Katleyn Callahan before a bases-loaded, bases-clearing, two-out double from Ella Smithson scored Maddy McDermott, Sykora Smith, and Drew Hinrichs.

The Cardinals plated two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, but could not outhit the Panther offense, as UNI took home a run-rule victory, 12-3 in five innings.

Kate Lappe recorded three hits, two RBIs, and one run in four at-bats against Lamar. Katelyn Callahan and Sykora Smith had multi-hit performances while Brynn Acton and Ella Smithson both drove in three runs. In the circle, Anna Wischnowski picked up her second win of the season with her third complete game of the year. She struck out a pair of batters and only allowed two extra-base hits.

UP NEXT

The Cats wrap up the Best on the Bayou Tournament tomorrow with a matchup against Lamar at 11 a.m. CT,. It will be available on ESPN+.

UNI softball action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Softball), X (@UNISoftball), and on Instagram (@unisoftball). The 2026 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.